Railroad-crossing.



E. W. DWIGHT.

RAILROAD CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1909.

Patented Mar.2, 19'09.

ZBHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR: [Ml/#0 Mmm/mma/Z FIG].

WITNESSES: M

co.. WASHINGTON, p. c.

E. W. DWIGHT.

RAILROAD CROSSING. APPLIOATION FILED JAN.B.1909.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG M FIGHT.

UNITED STATES FA n'r re RAILROAD-CROSSING.

Application filed January 8, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND i VATERMAN DWIGHT, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Crossings, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to means, movable by car wheels, to automatically form temporarily continuous rail treads at railroad crosslngs.

As hereinafter described, my invention comprises pairs of vertically movable rail filling blocks, each pair supported and con nected by a fluid medium so that when one of the pair is depressed by the flange of a car wheel, the other is uplifted to fill the gap in the rail tread, which normally affords a passage for the flanges of wheels traversing the crossing track.

Hy invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the drawings; Figure I, is a plan view of the railroad crossing conveniently embodying my invention, Where each track may be traversed in but one direction, indicated by the arrows. Fig. II, is a plan view of one of the four similar automatic units shown in Fig. I, each including one pair of alternately reciprocatory rail filling blocks. Fig. III, is a vertical sectional view taken diagonally on the line III, III, in Fig. II, showing the relative position of the adjacent blocks. Fig. IV is a perspective view of one of the rail filling blocks, shown in Figs. I to III. Fig. V, is a plan view of a railroad crossing, similar to Fig. I, but embodying a modified form of my invention, where each track may be traversed in either direction. Fig. VI, is a plan view of one of the four similar automatic units shown in Fig. V each including two Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Serial No. 471,238.

In said figures; one track comprises the tread rails 1 and 2, and their respective guard rails 3 and 4, and the other crossing track comprises the tread rails 8 and 9, and their respective guard rails 10 and 11. As shown in Fig. I, the crossing is provided with four units respectively mounted local to the four corners of the crossing, and as said units are counterpart, the detailed description will be limited to the unit shown at the intersection of the rails 1 and 8, in Fig. I, and shown detached, on a larger scale, in Fig. II. The pair of filling blocks 14 and 15, being arranged to alternately fill the gaps in the respective tread rails 1 and 8, are mounted between the heads of said rails and their respective guard rails 3 and 10, and are respectively connected with the reciprocatory plungers 18 and 19. The rectangular heads of said plungers are arranged to reciprocate vertically in res ective sockets 23 and 24, in the casing 27 w ich has the chambers 28 and 29 respectively fitted to the cylindrical lower ends of said plungers 18, and 19, said chambers 28 and 29, being in communication through the passageway 30; said plungers 18 and 19, may be connected by a fluid medium which may be substantially inelastic, as a body of heavy lubricating oil 31 or said connecting means may include a body of elastic fluid 32; for instance, air. Said fluid may be conveniently introduced in the easing 27, through the passageway 33, and the control as to pressure and height in the chambers 28 and 29, by vertical adjustment of the rotary plug 34, or other suitable means.

As shown in Figs. V, VI, and VII, inclu sive, the filling blocks 35, 36, 37, and 38 are mounted between the heads of the tread rails 1 and 8, and their respective guard rails 3 and 10, and are respectively rigidly connected with the rectangular reciprocatory plungers 40, 41, 42, and 43. Said plungers are arranged to reciprocate vertically in respective sockets 45, 46, 47, and 48, in the casing 50. In order that said filling blocks may be renewed when worn, I find it convenient to detachably engage each block in rigid relation with its plunger, for instance, by dove-tail connection as shown in Fig. VIII, and in order to prevent their accidental displacement from said casing, each lun er is rovided with a recess 51, (see rails; of means 0 erativel connectin said 3 I P Y 3 ig. VIII) uniting its movement with respect to said screw 52, projecting therein from the casing, indicated in Fig. VI. Said filling blocks 35, 36, 37, and 38 being thus arranged in grou s of four, as shown in Fig. VI, are reciprocafly operatively connected in pairs, being supported by cylindrical plungers 55, fitted to reciprocate in chambers 56, in said casing 50, said chambers 56, being in communication through the passageway 58; said plungers 55, may be connected by a fluid medium which may be substantially inelastic, as a body of heavy lubricating oil 60; or

said connecting means may include a body of elastic fluid 61; for instance, air. Said fluid may be conveniently introduced in the casing 50, through the passageway 62, and the control as to pressure and height in the chambers 56, by vertical adjustment of the rotary plugs 64, or other suitable means.

Assuming that a car wheel is traversing the rail in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. V; the wheel flange 70, indicated in Fig. VII, will engage and depress the block 36, and the plungers 55, therein, thus by means of the fluid mediums aforesaid, raising the plungers 55, beneath the filling blocks 35 and 37, thus uplifting said blocks so that the block 35, temporarily fills the gap in the rail 1, to afford a continuous rail head supporting the tread 71, of said wheel and the block 2.7 contemporaneously fills the gap in the guard rail 3, and thus affords a continuous guard for said tread rail 1. It is to be understood that such depression of any one of the filling blocks thus effects the uplifting of the blocks adjacent thereto, by means of the connecting fluid mediums aforesaid, and thus, temporarily affords continuous tread rails and continuous guard rails, for the assage of the car wheels, as the result of tfie automatic operation of the devices described, without manual movement or control.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement above described, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a railroad crossing, the combination with vertically reciprocatory rail filling blocks in registry with gaps in the crossing I rails; of means operatively connecting said blocks, including a fluid medium; whereby,

' the flange of a wheel traversing a rail of said crossing and depressing one of said blocks, raises another block and affords therewith a temporarily continuous rail for said wheel.

2-. In a railroad crossing, thecombination with vertically reci rocatory rail filling blocks in registry with gaps in the crossing blocks, including an elastic fluid medium; whereby, the flange of a wheel traversing a rail of said crossing and depressing one of said blocks, raises another block and affords therewith a temporarily continuous rail for said wheel.

3,. In a railroad. crossing, the combination with vertically reciprocatory rail filling blocks in registry with gaps in the crossing rails; of means operatively connecting said blocks in whereby, tie flange of a wheel traversing a rail of said crossing and depressing one of said blocks, raises anotherv block and affords therewith a temporarily continuous rail for said wheel.

4. In a railroad crossing, the combination with vertically reci rocatory rail filling necting said blocks in groups of four, in-- cludin a fluid medium; whereby, the flange of a w eel traversing a rail of said crossing and depressing one of said blocks, raises another block and affords therewith a temporarily continuous rail for said wheel.

5. In a railroad crossing, the combination with vertically reciprocatory rail filling blocks in registry with gaps in the crossing rails; of means reciprocally operatively connecting said blocks in groups of four including plungers respectively rigidly connected with said blocks; a casing having chambers wherein said plungers respectively reciprocate, and passageways connecting said chambers in pairs; and, a fluid medium in said chambers and passageways; whereby, the flange of a wheel traversing a rail of said crossing and depressing one of said blocks, raises another block and affords therewith a temporarily continuous rail for said wheel.

6. In a railroad crossing, the combination with vertically reci rocatory rail filling blocks in registry wit gaps in the crossing rails; of means operatively connecting said blocks, including plungers respectively rigidly connected therewith; a casing having chambers wherein said plungers respectively reciprocate, and a passageway connecting two of said chambers; and, a fluid medium in said chambers and passageway; whereby, the flange of a wheel traversing a rail of said crossing and de ressing one of said blocks, raises another b ock and affords therewith a temporarily continuous rail for said wheel. 7. In a railroad crossing, the combination with vertically reci rocatory rail filling blocks in registry wit fi gaps in the crossing rails; of means operatively connecting said,

two of said chambers; and, an elastic fluid In testimony whereof, I have hereunto medium in said chambers and passageway; signed my name in Philadelphia, Pennsylwhereby, the flange of a wheel traversing a Vania, this 5th day of January, 1909.

rail of said crossing and depressing one of EDMUND WATERMAN DWIGHT. 5 said blocks, raises another block and affords Witnesses:

therewith a temporarily continuous rail for WM. F. DUNNING,

said Wheel. J. FRED DE HART 

